Every year, Pantone releases an official color palette that influences the design and fashion world. This year, they've killed it with bright and lively colors perfect for a spring and summer ready wardrobe. Pink Lavender is my fave, so get spring inspired with this Pantone photo shoot!

Someone was doing my hair the other day and I said I didn’t want it “too extra” because I had already dialed it down 5 notches on the extra scale and was still a solid 3 above where I thought I should be. She asked me “if you’re worried you’re being too much then why don’t you just change your style” and I realized I was trying to be someone who I wasn’t by squishing myself into a box I didn’t fit into. All I was doing was this weird self-defeat thing by making myself sad and less confident in who God created me to be. Let’s shoot it straight here, am I way too extra? Off the charts. Do I dress like I was invited to tea at Anna Wintour’s house too often? Probably more than the average Jo. Do I have multiple sequined clothing options for different seasons? Sure do. And sometimes I hate that and I’m embarrassed. I wish I was a super cool and collected Katniss Everdeen type who shot arrows and did cool wilderness things. But, it’s just not who I am, and if God made me to be a sequin-hating, super cool, athletic mountain woman who had normal amounts of extra, I wouldn’t want to force myself to change my style and what I loved to be something else. When you are who God made you to be and you embrace what He’s made you passionate about, you will feel the most confident and free. You be you and be who He made you ✌🏼✨

I wish I was perfect. If we’re all honest, it’s hard to be cool with yourself and confident in the person God made you when you’re in your twenties [or thirties or forties or fifties, I hear you boo] and you’re not Amish. If your on Instagram or Facebook, searching it up on Pinterest, online shopping, you name it, there’s a part of you that can get sucked into comparison world. I’m not an insta hater or someone who blames a society that uses Facebook for all the problems in the world, and I don’t think social media is bad. I don’t even think social media is the problem, because I remember life before the gram and I still got on the struggle bus to comparison land and made myself miserable by trying and wanting to be other people. My struggle is in just rolling with who God made me and being that person. I want to be cool and sophisticated and collected. I basically wish I was like the nice, 2018, brunette version of Miranda Priestly. If you spend more than 7 minutes with me at any given point in time, it’s clear that I’m not a quiet and or collected fashion magazine editor with legit comebacks. I’m more of the can spill anything, trips on air, gracefulness of Lizzie McGuire, little free spirit kind of woman.Some Days, I’m so into Jesus and trusting of who He made me to be that I love who I am and I’m me all day, all the way. It feels so great to be confident in God and subsequently so confident in who you are in Him. You can take a breath and do your thing and be yourself without thinking about it. But when you dabble in the comparison thing, that fades into the sunset faster than you can hashtag your perfect selfie. My big downfall is falling down the instagram rabbit hole. I usually start out just scrolling through and looking for makeup inspiration, and before you know it, I’ve somehow found 80 pictures of the most gorgeous people that the world has ever seen and the confidence I was living up ten minutes prior is gone. I start doing the side by side feed comparison to see how much more awesome her Ariana Grande ponytail pictures are than mine and try not to laugh at her hilarious captions that I think are funny but would never laugh at out loud because all I can think about it how she must be Gigi and Bella Hadid’s long lost model sister. Or, I run down the infamous “I didn’t get invited and they probably hate me and they think I’m so annoying” road which always leads me to the self defeating game of self exclusion. It’s a whole disaster thing, and in the end, all I’ve done is waste my time and ruin any remanence of confidence I had. I tell God he’s wrong and I don’t trust who He’s made me or calls me to be. Nobody wins except Satan who’s out to distort the foundations you build in Christ about your identity because if he can ruin your view of who you are, you’re useless.If you don’t believe the facts that, if you’ve accepted salvation in Jesus, you’re a saved, forgiven, and loved person who can be who God made you to be, you’ll spend all your time on trying to figure out who in the world you are. And if you’re spending all your time wasted on an endless search for confidence in appearances, selfies, high ponytails, and pretending to be someone else, you won’t have time to be secure in the Lord and work on the things He’s made you passionate about. The only way to end the cycle is finding a firm foundation in God and deciding to believe what He says. Sometimes I wish I was different. I wish I was smarter, more sophisticated, more graceful, skinnier, more beautiful, and had hair as long as Kim Kardashian’s extensions. Sometimes I waste my time on worrying about what people think of me and on staring their seemingly perfect Instagram feeds. Sometimes I spend my money on ridiculous beauty treatments to try to make myself look more wrinkle free and symmetrical. Sometimes I make myself sick mulling over how I can make myself prettier. I wish I could tell you I’m so into Jesus that it never crosses my mind to doubt Him when He tells me who I am, but I do. No amount of self help tricks or airbrushing can cover up the real issues if I don’t just get down to it and surrender all my insecurities to Him and listen to what He tells me about who I am. And when you let it go and see it His way, you’ll never be more free or feel more able to be you.​Don’t give God suggestions on how He should have made you, spend your time finding out who God is and how much He loves you. When you get the itch to compare your profile picture, say nope, not today Satan, and open up that Bible app. If you start to dig into God’s word and find out how much God is into you, you will find it’s so easy to be you. There’s nothing more beautiful than a person who’s into Jesus and is living the life He’s called them to live.

​“Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as elaborate hairstyles and the wearing of gold jewelry or fine clothes. Rather, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in Godʼs sight. For this is the way the holy women of the past who put their hope in God used to adorn themselves.1 Peter3:3-5a

If you know me you know I'm a woman who loves my pants, and these paper pants are my new favorites. They're comfy, chic, and they're a great staple for your closet. Also I definitely bought myself these shoes for Christmas and they're my go-to's right now.​[The mule flats I'm wearing are sold out, but I linked a page from Target with some similar options so you can find some that fit your style.]

Sleepovers are the best parties because you get to eat, you can wear yoga pants the entire time, and you can pull out the old school, sleepover classics. When I was in high school, my favorite sleepover things were eating Bacon Pop [I know artificial bacon flavored popcorn is gross, but we don't judge here people], watching Pretty Little Liars, convincing my friends that Pretty Little Liars was in fact a great show that we should watch, and doing make-it-yourself face masks that probably gave us acne but we definitely thought were totally helping. I still love a good girl's night, and an old school sleepover themed girl's night is the very best kind. Here are some must have party essentials for your GNO.

FACE MASKS

Okay, here's the thing with face masks, if you find the right ones and you use them in the right order, they really will do wonders for your face. Do some research on your skin and pair up some masks to get the best results and the most relaxing facial. I've shared a few of these before because they are my tried and true favorites. I don't ever do two or three at once, but I like to start out with either the pineapple Alba mask or the YesTo mask. After your face is washed, clean out your pores with on of these then move on to a Neutrogena gel mask or a relaxing Que Bella mask. Super cheap, you can find these puppies anywhere. The Mario Badescu drying lotion is a little bit pricier, but this is the only thing I've found in my life that takes away zits. It's a miracle bottle, you only need a drop on your spots, and it's perfect for dabbing on right before bed. These are sleepover musts.

PAJAMAS

What is a slumber party or a Bachelor Monday without cute pajamas? These are some of the comfiest PJs that will keep you cozy but also keep you insta ready, because you just never know. I'm a sucker for comfy boy shorts, long sleep shirts, and matching sets.

​WHAT TO WATCH

Here are my picks. You can't go wrong with the Bachelor, You again is the cutest and funniest, I'm a sucker for a Sandra Bullock comedy, and The First Monday in May is a good pick for your fashion and or documentary lovin' friends. And will I ever not suggest watching PLL?

PARTY SUPPLY MUST HAVES

You can't entertain without adorable decorations, so set the sleepover mood and get some decor inspo from my go-to party supplies. You can't go wrong with gold ​✨

Use my favorites and tried and true party essentials to have the best party everrrr and join us 7pm MST tonight, March 1st on instagram live for a blog sleepover insta party at @CarlieRaeTice ​😘

CAKE:

Gluten- Free Chocolate Cake Mix

2 Eggs

2 Tablespoons Butter

3/4 Cup Red Wine

Pinch of Salt

FROSTING:

1/2 Cup Softened Butter

1/4 Cup Red Wine

3 Cups Powdered Sugar

Pinch of Salt

sMix the cake mix [I used Gluten Free but you can use your regular favorite] with the eggs, salt, and butter. Once the ingredients are mixed well, slowly add the red wine in 1/3 portions at a time. Bake as directed on the box and cool completely. For the frosting, mix the butter and 2 cups of the powdered sugar with a hand mixer until it’s fluffy and stiffens into peaks. Add the salt and again, slowly add the red wine into 1/3 portions until it’s completely integrated. If your frosting doesn’t set, add powdered sugar as needed to keep the frosting fluffy. Frost and enjoy ♥️ For a non-alcoholic option, bake the cupcakes as directed but instead make the frosting without the red wine and substitute it for 2 teaspoons of cherry or raspberry extract.

I have been diving deep into this minimal street style thing, new year new you right? I love how chic neutral colors and simple pieces look together paired with a statement piece. When I was in Egypt last, I stocked up on all things Middle Easter style and picked up some super fun gold statement necklaces with some Egyptian flair.

OUTFIT DETAILS:

Valentine’s Day is a day of celebrating love, remembering St. Valentine, buying 30 million candy hearts, spending $5 on a card, and sharing the day with people you love. Weather you’re single, married, alone, dating, divorced, engaged, or anything in between there, remember today isn’t just about love between people and overpriced Hallmark cards. Today is a day to remember how much God truly loves you. You were made in His image, He sent His son to die for you. His love for you is greater than any mistake, any human love, anything you hate about yourself, and anything you think could separate you from Him. He loves you so deeply that it’s impossible to fathom. Take today to remind yourself of God’s great love for you and share the crazy and indescribable love with someone who needs to be showered in the overflowing, never-ending love of Jesus ♥️

“But you, O Lord, are a God of compassion and mercy, slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love and faithfulness.”Psalms86:15NLT

“Give thanks to the God of heaven. His faithful love endures forever.”Psalms136:26NLT

“For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.”John3:16NLT

““I have loved you even as the Father has loved me. Remain in my love.”John15:9NLT

“No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us. And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.”Romans8:37-39NLT

“But God is so rich in mercy, and he loved us so much, that even though we were dead because of our sins, he gave us life when he raised Christ from the dead. (It is only by God’s grace that you have been saved!)”Ephesians2:4-5NLT

“God showed how much he loved us by sending his one and only Son into the world so that we might have eternal life through him.”1 John4:9NLT

However you do Valentine's Day, you need an outfit to kill it today. If you're spending the day with your bae, having dinner with friends, or having a date by yourself [which is the best kind of date because no one eats your fries], dress up the event with a Valentine's outfit to fit your style.

THE KINDA’ BOUJIE [SORRY NOT SORRY] LOOK

If your style is boujie and you're not afraid to show it, this bell sleeve dress from Kohls is perfect with an over-the-knee boot. Add a neutral lip tone and your favorite dangly earrings to kill it on your date.

THE BRUNCH DATE LOOK

If you're a casual date kind of girl, and brunch or a cup of coffee is more your cup of tea, this casual outfit is right for you. It's soft and easy but still classy and trendy. If I haven't already said it one million times, I LOVE palazzo pants. Love them. These are perfect for a date when you're brunching it, with a long sleeve crop top and a super light lip to keep it fresh. Put on your favorite set of lashes and go for a no-makeup makeup look, and you're ready for a latte.

Happy Galentine’s Day! What a year for women, right?No matter who you are or where you stand on any part of the board, we can all agree the world is in a lot of turmoil. We have made strides, this year already, for victims of abuse, sexual harassment, and gender inequality. We have a lot to celebrate and yet still a lot to work on and continue fighting for.When we look at women helping women, I think this may be one of the areas we struggle in the most. We live in a culture where it’s okay, and often encouraged, for us to comment and give our advice and opinions on social media when we see news reports and TMZ articles. Pick any online People Magazine or New York Times article about anyone and read the comments, and you will see how devastating people’s words can be. I am so for speaking the truth and sharing opinions. We need the truth spoken into every lie, and we need people to share their opinions, it’s how we learn empathy and other people’s perspectives, but telling people how bad of parents they are, arguing with them, sharing hateful things, cussing people out, and ripping people apart on their appearances, is not okay in person and definitely not okay online. But yet, it happens millions of times every single day. This isn’t just a women’s issue, it’s a people issue, but women need to step up to the plate because we need each other. We have the most to lose in a world like we live in today. We are making strides for victims of rape and abuse, we are bridging the wage gap, our voices are starting to be taken seriously, and we don’t have time to set ourselves back because of hateful speech and the lack of encouragement from one another. We need each other for community, for advice, for help, for encouraging words. We need each other as friends. We need to be loving and speak words that build one another up, no matter what her political party, religious affiliation, or beliefs. We need to speak life into each other not just as women, but as people who love Jesus and want to emit that love to everyone around us. The best way to help someone you disagree with and think is saying/doing things that are wrong is to share Jesus with them in everything you do. Jesus is the only hope for any of our problems the world, and Jesus tells us to pour words of love and encouragement on one another.

“Kind words are like honey— sweet to the soul and healthy for the body.”‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭16:24‬ ‭

“Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience.”‭‭Colossians‬ ‭3:12‬ ‭

I’m going to be really honest here, the reason I realized I should write about this on good ol’ Valentine’s Day is because I saw things I was doing that were not uplifting and helping women, they were exactly what’s wrong with our world. I thought because I didn’t start fights on Facebook and tell people why they’re bad parents on the internet I was emitting kindness to everyone. But I was flipping through Snapchat one day and I took one of the “Who Wore it Best” quizzes, and I realized I was taking a poll to determine if some stranger that I’d never met looked better in Gucci tracksuit than the other one. The Hoky Spirit was notttt having that, and my heart started getting convicted as I flipped through the articles. I realized I was spending my time, even if it was just a few minutes, on something that made women nothing more than appearances. I was giving my time to articles that people felt they had the right to publish, because the woman in the photo who they thought gained too much weight or looked better at the last award show, was in the public eye. I realized how objectifying it was to tell someone what their worth was essentially based off of s picture of her at the beach. And the worst part was, I was supporting it by giving it views.Not dishing out hateful speech is a great start, but taking action is the best way to make a difference. We live in the age of Instagram selfie comparisons where woman are constantly struggling with not looking or being good enough. People are struggling to find identity and purpose. We need to fill those people up with love and kindness. The mean lady on Facebook who commented on that actresses photo about why she hates her? She needs love to. The lady at the grocery store who gave you the look and jumped in front of you at Target? She need to be loved on. The mom with the kid who’s screaming while you’re on your date? She needs encouragement and kind words poured all over her. Spend Galentines Day showering the people in your life with words that lift them up. If you’re throwing shade at people all day long, there’s no way that the light of Jesus can shine through. It’s not easy and let’s be real, it’s not always fun. But when you give words of kindness, that show God’s character, you will see how it changes people’s lives and you will feel such a satisfaction in speaking encouragement. Let’s face it, women are strong, smart, beautiful, and God created us for great things, and we need each other to get the job done.So, be a Leslie Knope today. Share some Jesus-loving and life giving words, encourage your friends till’ the day is done, and eat some waffles.

F R E E D O W N L O A D :

GUEST AUTHOR: KRISTINE MCDOWELL

​Ever since I was a little girl, loving all different kinds of people was deeply instilled in me. My little world was very diverse and unique. My brother was born with special needs, and that alone created a lot of opportunity to become friends with many special needs kids and peers. God used my family and community dynamics to imbed within my heart a deep passion for people and the diverse beauty within each family, community, and country. In a world that keeps trying to press us into carbon copies or shove us into stereotypes, diversity is everywhere. There is not one person that is exactly like another. People are the pinnacle of God’s creation, His most amazing handiwork. His vast and infinite creativity is seen in each and every life, culture, and heritage. This reality is often lost and muddied as the world continually battles diversity with conformity. Our different cultures, upbringings, and the media can often shape who we believe is important and what is beautiful. Different theologies and doctrines have strayed time and time again from the truth,putting people and God Himself into a one-size-fits-all box. This sad pattern of conformity has been happening since the fall of Adam. Sin has a nasty way of tainting and destroying that which God made good. Diversity in people is God-made goodness and it is worth celebrating. He gave us diverse ethnicities, cultures, personalities, families, communities, abilities, and experiences. There is so much mystery and marvel within one person, let alone each little pocket and place on our earth. It’s incredible. ​It is so important that TRUTH is talked about, celebrated, and taught within our homes and community circles. I am very passionate about celebrating people and teaching my children the value of diversity. I really believe if we don’t talk about different kinds of people, cultures, and social justice issues in an age-appropriate way and in light of a Biblical worldview, then our kids will form ideas based on their limited experiences and the world’s philosophies. They will come to accept bullying, prejudices, and hate crimes as inevitable (or possibly even acceptable) instead of avoidable. Celebrating diversity teaches our kids the importance of showing kindness and compassion, listeningand learning, and loving others with different perspectives. It builds our kids’ confidence by reminding them that each person possesses his or her own unique beauty. It communicates that we are each an essential, important piece in our family and community, and that each life is as equally valuable as the next, regardless of skin color, ability, passions, beliefs, or backgrounds. Celebrating diversity is more than just inserting phrases like “be kind,” “Jesus loves you,” and “God made everyone special” into our conversations with our kids. It is venturing deeper by creating opportunities to teach, discuss, and practice loving all kinds of people, just as they are, so that our families can develop a heart for the world and a hunger to know the Creator behind each masterpiece. Here are a few simple ways you can begin cultivating diversity with your family:​

1. PRAY FOR MORE DIVERSITY WITHIN YOUR COMMUNITY

​If you don’t already have a lot of diversity within your family, friends, church, or neighborhood, start praying for God to send a variety of people into your life. We live in a predominantly white, middle-class, conservative community and didn’t see many obvious avenues to mingle and make friends with people very different from us, so we began to pray. It’s been amazing to see how God has expanded our community within the last year. If you have a diverse community as a parent, your kids will too, and experience is one of the most powerful teachers!

2. BE A LEARNER

You may know the famous quote by Albert Einstein, “the more I learn, the more I realize I don’t know.” Don’t get so set in your own way of thinking that you cannot meet a situation, a person, a culture, or a belief with compassion. You may still disagree at the end of the day, but never stop being a humble learner. LISTEN to those who are different than you and seek to put your own lens on life down and look through theirs for a moment. With all that is happening in our world with racism, refugees, wars, poverty, and beyond, it is so important to listen and learn FIRST before speaking, debating, or posting on social media. The way you speak about people you disagree with or don’t understand will rub off on those closest to you! Especially kids, they watch and listen to everything! ​

3. MAKE YOUR HOME A SAFE PLACE FOR ALL KINDS OF PEOPLE

​Our house is a gathering place for all of the neighborhood kids and many others. We want our home to be a safe, loving place for everyone who walks in, so we made it a rule: “Everyone must feel safe and loved.” We don’t tolerate bullying, name calling, or prejudices. We just don’t. If kids or adults insist on playing or talking in ways that are disrespectful or unkind, they are asked to take it somewhere else. This boundary line helps us emphasize the importance of kindness, respect, and healthy conflict resolution. ​

4. CREATE SPACES TO HELP YOUR FAMILY DISCOVER DIVERSITY

Create spaces to help your family DISCOVER diversity. ​We have a whole corner in our playroom dedicated to celebrating diversity. This corner includes a myriad of children’s books intended to help our whole family learn more about other cultures and facilitate discussions that possibly would never happen otherwise. It has toys and items from different places around the world that my sister has brought back on her missionary journeys. We also desired to have way to represent different ethnic groups within our country and around the world, especially since our pocket of the U.S. is not very diverse. I researched diverse dolls for our girls, but ultimately, due to budget and having a little boy join the bunch, I decided to create peg dolls for my children. I made two different collections. One was an American set, reflecting several diverse ethnicities, but in more generic clothing. The other was an Around-the-World set that represented different cultures across the globe. After several months of researching, ordering books, and making peg dolls, my diversity corner for the kids was ready just in time for Christmas. It has been really fun being intentional about growing in this area as a whole family. We read books and play with the dolls often. The peg dolls have been a great tool. They leave lots of room for the imagination and can be played with using Lego’s, blocks, doll houses, and other stable toys. The boys and girls in our neighborhood ages 2-11 have enjoyed playing with the dolls. It’s quite fun to see such a simple toy be enjoyed in SO many ways. We use the dolls with our kids to talk about all kinds of issues and people in age-appropriate ways while having lots of fun at the same time. ​The process of developing a diversity corner and my desire to see others celebrate the beauty of diversity in their own lives resulted in the creation of a project called Radiant Ruth. Radiant Ruth is a place of ideas, tools, and avenues to cultivate a love for all people. It can be found on Facebook and Instagram, and features book lists, products, companies, blogs, ideas and more to celebrate diversity in your home and in your community. Through Radiant Ruth, I will also be launching hand-crafted peg doll collections designed to cultivate diversity. I really desire to encourage and enable others as I continue to learn and live out my passion for diversity.

PURCHASE KRISTINE'S HANDCRAFTED RADIANT RUTH DOLLS HERE:

KRISTINE MCDOWELL

Kristine is a beautiful Jesus-lover, and celebrator of diversity who is sharing her passion project Radiant Ruth with the world. Kristine is wife to Pastor Jason McDowell and mom to three gorgeous kiddos.

Upstate New York is not just one of my favorite places in the world because it's green, gorgeous, and the perfect summer dream-land, it was also my first home ❤ I was looking over some of my favorite travel photos and I realized I've never done a travel guide for upstate! If you headed to NY this time of year in mid-feb., you would not be seeing the lush, green landscapes we're talking about, and I can't say I am much of a winter-weather woman. But, if you hop in your car headed for Rochester after May, you will nature like you've never seen before. Here's a travel guide for Geneseo and Conesus from a native upstater, so get ready to buy your tickets, because you will be sold 😘

W H A T T O S E E :

L E T C H W O R T H S T A T E P A R K :

Upstate is home to the gorgeous Letchworth State Park, which NY likes to call the "Grand Canyon of the East". It is truly phenomenal, so if you're in the Rochester/Geneseo area, take a day trip to Letchworth. If you're an adventure-camper, Letchworth has a great campground or cabins to rent out, if you're more of a glamper. Bring your water shoes, because LSP is home to hundreds of stunning waterfalls. You could spend a week hiking there and not get enough.

C O N E S U S L A K E :

Conesus Lake has the most special place in my heart because I've grown up in an old family house on the lake every summer since I was born. I'm super biased, but this is one of my favorite places in the world. If you're looking for somewhere to stay in the Geneseo area, there are gorgeous cottages to rent on the lake in the summer. It's one of the seven finger lakes, and it is surrounded by trees and beautiful green landscape for miles and miles. There's also some spots to visit for the day that provide beach access, which are perfect for summer picnics and a day with the kiddos. If you're on the lake, you HAVE to stop by Shoreless Acres country store for sweet-potato fries and a walk around the shop for some Conesus souvenirs and an upstate experience you can only get from shoreless.

M A I N S T . G E N E S E O

If you do anything in the Geneseo area, you have to stop by Main Street. This is the actual cutest Main Street you'll probably ever see. It's also another place I'm ridiculously biased to because my mom owned a flower shop on Main St. for years, so I grew up there. But besides the sentiment, Main Street Geneseo is a lovely place to spend a summer day. Favorite, must-hit-up shops:Genesee Valley Florist [that's a fave], Cafe Shiloh, RoyalTees, and Touch of Grayce.

W H E R E T O E A T :

M A M A M I A ' S

If you're spending the day on Main St. Geneseo, you can't leave without getting the best slice of giant pizza from Mama Mia's. And you can't get a slice without Mia's famous garlic knots. Mason and I are pizza finatics, [like 50% of our relationship is built on pizza] and this is a pepperoni for your pizza passport, people.

M I N N E H A N ' S

If you're in Livingston County with kids, Minnehan's is a great place to take the fam for the day. It's a fun center with all the fun, summer-y, kiddo things like mini-golf, go-karts, and arcade games for days. If you're in the mood for a scoop or a twist cone, Minnehan's is your place.

T OM W A H L ' S

Tom Wahl's is upstate's IN-N-OUT, and my inner east-coaster actually makes me think it's a little bit better 🤷 If you head to Tom Wahl's for a burger, get a root beer float before you go, because their homemade root beer is like nothing else. TW's is a must try.

T H E B E A C H C O M B E R :

If you're looking for some summer night-life on the lake, the beachcomber is the place for you. It's pretty much exactly what you think of when you think "beachcomber". It's a bar on the lake-side, so they serve your normal bar food menu, but if you're stopping by the beachcomber for karaoke and some pool, get a side of salt-potatoes, an upstate fave.

O T H E R F A V O R I T E S :

I could talk for days about NY, but here are just a few more of my favorite highlight spots to see on your New-York vacay:

Deer Run Winery - This is my favorite little winery on the lake! They have an awesome selection of wines to taste, and in the summer, every week they have live music and food trucks to enjoy while you sip a glass of their house made wines.

Ember Woodfire Grill - If you're into fine foods and creative eats, this is your grill. It's an old train station transformed into a restaurant with a delicious menu. Try the peanut butter cake and the raspberry chocolate tart 👌

The Strong Museum - If you're bringing kids, you can spend a whole day here with your little ones. This was one of my sister and I's favorites growing up. There's a butterfly garden, shows, shops, food, a mini-train, and it's pretty much disneyland for a tenth of the price.

Corning Glass Museum - I'm a nerd for museums, and Corning is a really interesting museum of, you guessed it, all things glass. There's all kinds of art, science, and history exhibits, and you can watch it being made.

Bully Hill Vineyards - Bully Hill is another one of my favorite wineries. It's an hour and a half drive from the conesus area, but it's so worth the day trip, even if you aren't into wine tasting. The drive is an amazing drive through the wooded hills of upstate. They also have wonderful food to try with their tastings. Plus, I'm a big Bully Hill fan because they make my favorite wine in the worldddd, Banty Red. If you're a red wine-lover, get a bottle of Banty.

Fratellis - New York has some of the best authentic Italian food, and Fratellis serves some of the best. Their pasta is on par.

This top is my favorite, and I found it at a supermarket inside of a mall in Erbil, Iraq. True story.Spring is on its way back around, so I'm gradually moving back to pinks and lively colors again. You can't go wrong with Zara, even if it's from a grocery store. This top isn't carried anymore, so get an outfit inspired by this look, here: